No flood control documents were damaged from QC office fire—DPWH

The Department of Public Works and Highways has assured the public that no documents related to the ongoing flood control scandal were damaged by a fire that broke out in its building in Quezon City on Wednesday, Oct. 22.

"The DPWH confirms that no documents related to the ongoing investigation into the flood control anomalies were in the Bureau of Research and Standards building that caught fire in Quezon City today," it wrote in a statement.

It noted that the DPWH BRS is responsible for handling research, studies, pilot testing, and formulation of policies for government infrastructure projects.

The fire was caused by the explosion of a computer unit located within the Materials Testing Division. It added that none of its employees were harmed during the incident.

The Bureau of Fire Protection - National Capital Region said the fire incident was reported at 12:39 p.m. and reached the third alarm. It was declared under control at 1:34 p.m. and was fully extinguished at 1:49 p.m. 

The agency added that an investigation team is currently conducting a thorough assessment "to determine the full extent of the damage and to prevent similar incidents in the future."

Meanwhile, during the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights hearing, DPWH Assistant Secretary Melody Villar said that the affected building is a testing site for supplies.

"It is the regional office of DPWH-4B. Dito po ang site ng testing materials ng DPWH na mga supplies like semento, mga bakal, dito po tinetest. We are looking into it already pero ito po yung testing site," said Villar, adding that while there were documents, it's already been stored in the agency's central database.  

The Office of the Ombudsman had ordered the investigation into the incident. 

“The Ombudsman has directed the immediate coordination with the National Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Fire Protection to determine the cause of the fire and to establish whether arson or any deliberate act was committed,” the office said in a statement.